Volume Licensing brief Downgrade rights for Microsoft Volume Licensing, OEM, and full-package product licenses This brief applies to all Microsoft Volume Licensing programs. Table of Contents Summary .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 What’s New in this Brief ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Details ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Frequently Asked Questions ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 Summary This licensing brief helps explain the downgrade rights for the most commonly acquired systems License Terms granted by Microsoft Volume Licensing programs and how they compare with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and retail full- package product (FPP) license rights. What’s New in this Brief? This brief replaces a previous version published in February 2011. Significant changes in this brief include updates to reflect Windows 8. Details Microsoft Volume Licensing agreements include references to specific rights to use any prior versions of Microsoft licensed software. These rights are often referred to as “downgrade rights.” Microsoft distinguishes between the term “version” and “edition” when referring to product licenses. The term “edition” means different functional offerings within a product family that are usually released simultaneously (for example, Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 and Microsoft Office Standard 2010). The term “version” refers to different generations of a product family. Downgrade rights between the current generation (N), the prior generation (N-1), and the generation prior to that (N-2) are limited to the same functional editions within each version (for example, Windows 8 Enterprise downgrades to Windows 7 Enterprise). For more information about access to prior product versions, please see the Fulfillment information section of the Microsoft.com/Licensing site at http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/existing- customers/fulfillment.aspx. The following table compares Volume Licensing downgrade rights with those provided under OEM and retail (FPP) licenses. September 2012 1 Downgrade rights Downgrade rights by product pool for licenses acquired through Volume Licensing, OEM, and FPP Software License Application Software System Software Server Software Agreement Type Volume Licensing Downgrade rights are granted Downgrade rights are granted Downgrade rights are granted Programs with all application software with all system software with all server software licenses acquired through the licenses acquired through the licenses acquired through the Volume Licensing programs. Volume Licensing programs. Volume Licensing programs. Please refer to the Microsoft Please refer to the Microsoft Please refer to the Microsoft Volume Licensing Product List Volume Licensing Product List Volume Licensing Product List for current information about for current information about for current information about which OEM applications which retail and OEM which retail and OEM qualify for enrollment in applications qualify for applications qualify for Software Assurance within 90 enrollment in Software enrollment in Software days from the date the Assurance within 90 days Assurance within 90 days licenses are acquired. from the date the licenses are from the date the licenses are acquired. acquired. Licenses Enrolled in Downgrade rights are granted Downgrade rights are granted Downgrade rights are granted Microsoft Software for any license enrolled in for any license enrolled in for any license enrolled in Assurance Software Assurance. Software Assurance. Software Assurance. Please refer to the Microsoft Please refer to the Microsoft Please refer to the Microsoft Volume Licensing Product List Volume Licensing Product List Volume Licensing Product List for current information about for current information about for current information about which OEM applications which retail and OEM System which retail and OEM Server qualify for enrollment in Software qualify for Software qualify for Software Assurance within 90 enrollment in Software enrollment in Software days from the date you Assurance within 90 days Assurance within 90 days acquired the licenses. from the date you acquired from the date you acquired the licenses. the licenses. OEM Microsoft Rights to OEM versions of Rights to OEM versions of Rights to server software are Software License application software are system software are granted granted in the OEM License Terms granted in the OEM Microsoft in the OEM License Terms. Terms. The OEM License Software License Terms. The The OEM License Terms for Terms for most OEM versions OEM License Terms for OEM Windows 8 Pro, Windows 7 released with or after the versions of application Professional, Windows 7 Windows Server 2003 R2 software do not grant Ultimate, Windows Vista operating system allow for downgrade rights. Business, and Windows Vista the user to downgrade to an Ultimate operating systems earlier version. New products Please refer to the OEM grant downgrade rights. See that do not have earlier license terms for complete the full text of the OEM versions do not allow a user details. License Terms for the specific to downgrade. See the full downgrade rights. text of the applicable OEM License Terms for the specific Please refer to the OEM downgrade rights. license terms for complete details. Please refer to the OEM license terms for complete details. September 2012 2 Downgrade rights Software License Application Software System Software Server Software Agreement Type FPP Microsoft Downgrade rights are not Downgrade rights are not Some server products offer Software License granted under most FPP granted under FPP system downgrade rights. Terms application licenses. licenses. Please refer to the FPP license Please refer to the FPP license Please refer to the FPP license terms for complete details. terms for complete details. terms for complete details. Frequently Asked Questions General 1. Where can I confirm my specific downgrade rights and eligible versions to downgrade for my organization’s Volume Licensing agreement? Downgrade rights (rights to use any prior version) are granted as part of all the Volume Licensing agreements. Please refer to the Microsoft Product List for particular downgrade paths for your products. The Product List is available at Microsoft’s Volume Licensing site at http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/product-licensing.aspx. 2. How do I get prior versions of products when I need to downgrade to a prior version of a Microsoft product my organization licenses through Volume Licensing? While you have the right to downgrade products, in general, the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) provides download access only to the current (N) and the prior version (N-1) of products. Note: In addition to the VLSC download software access, all Volume Licensing customers may choose to purchase physical media (CD/DVD) copies of their licensed software through their Microsoft reseller. If you have legally obtained physical media (CD/DVD) of earlier Microsoft products that your organization is currently licensed to use through downgrade rights, you may use these prior software versions at your discretion. For more information about access to prior product versions, please see the Fulfillment information section of the Microsoft.com/Licensing site at http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/existing-customers/fulfillment.aspx. Windows Desktop 3. Where can I find the specific downgrade rights for my Windows licensed product? Your ability to downgrade to a prior version of Windows is stated in the License Terms for these products. You may use the following media for your downgrade version: Volume Licensing media (provided the user has a Volume Licensing agreement), retail (FPP), or OEM (which includes a system builder hologram CD, provided the software is acquired in accordance with the Microsoft OEM System Builder License). Use of the downgraded operating system is governed by the License Terms for the original product preinstalled on the PC. You may not use both the licensed Windows product and the downgrade product; only one Windows product may be used at a time. No downgrade rights are granted for Windows 8 editions except for Windows 8 Pro. There are also no downgrade rights for the following Windows 7 editions: Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, or Windows 7 Home Premium. 4. What are the downgrade rights for Windows 8? For Windows 8 licenses acquired though an OEM, you may downgrade to the two prior versions (N-2) of the licensed Windows edition. For Windows 8 licenses acquired though Volume Licensing, you may downgrade to any prior version of the licensed Windows edition. Refer to the table below for more specific product downgrade rights. September 2012 3 Downgrade rights OEM Preinstall Volume Licensing Version Downgrade to Windows 8 Pro Upgrade Windows 8 Enterprise Windows 8 Pro (without SA) (with SA) Windows 7 Enterprise Windows 7 Professional Windows Vista Enterprise Windows Vista Business